


Written on Skin, Written on Soul

by Guardian_of_Hope



Category: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Power Rangers, Power Rangers Jungle Fury, Power Rangers Megaforce, Power Rangers Ninja Storm, Power Rangers Wild Force
Genre: Bullying, F/F, F/M, Lesbians, M/M, Romance, Threesome, soul mates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-19
Updated: 2016-07-19
Packaged: 2018-07-25 09:47:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 3,725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7527973
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Guardian_of_Hope/pseuds/Guardian_of_Hope
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five Rangers who never expected their soulmate and one who did</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Spectacular

**Author's Note:**

> I feel I should offer the warning, first of all, that one chapter features bullying and a mispronounced slur, mostly in a vague sort of way that references past and present bullying.
> 
> Secondly, a soulmates AU for Power Rangers, where the first words of your partner(s) are written on your arm. (Probably in their own handwriting, but I never really decided that.)

Vida had a lot of expectations in life, both for herself and for her soulmates.  In a world where everyone was born with the first words their soulmates written on their arm, she had been given two separate and distinct sets of words.  Because she was one of the rare people with two soulmates, other people seemed to think she was some awesome creature with an amazing future ahead of her.  Vida wasn’t so sure about that, but she trusted herself and her soulmates to be something.  Even if she didn’t have real words for it.

So when Maddie was assigned to show around a new kid, Vida wasn’t looking at the boy with the buzz cut and a bath towel cape as anything more than just another victim of the systematic, soul destroying void known as high school, one who had lost his sanity in addition to his soul.  In fact, she’d been planning several scathing remarks about promptness when he and Maddie showed up late afterschool.

For a moment, she was distracted by the freckle faced nerd, and all her carefully constructed comments abandoned her for, “You’re late.”

The kid raised his eyebrows, _“A wizard is never late.  Nor is he early. He always arrives precisely when he means to.”_

“What?”  Vida said, staring at him.  She definitely hadn’t expected her words to come from a too-thin boy with next to no hair, sad blue-grey eyes and a towel fastened to his shirt like a cape.  At the same time, Vida found herself truly hoping that this kid was who she’d been waiting for.

“Vida,” Madison said, looking suddenly nervous, “this is Chip Thorn.  Chip, this is my sister Vida.”

“Hi,” Chip said.  He tilted his head, “I’m sorry, did I use your words?”

“Did I use yours?”  Vida countered, reaching to pull up her sleeve.

“I prefer to think of it as a promise,” Chip said, pulling up his sleeve, “now fulfilled.”

Vida raised her eyebrows, but was distracted by Chip’s arm.  There was the phrase _“You’re late”,_ and underneath it was “You’re bald”.

“Bald?” Vida said, touching the words.

Chip sighed, “Yeah, that’s- that’s not surprising.”  He rubbed his head and grimaced.  “I have cancer.”

“Fuck,” Vida said, taking Chip’s wrist.

“I’m not beaten yet,” Chip said firmly, “I just found you V, I’m not going anywhere.”  He paused, turning slightly, “Except back home later.  Hold on, that’s my uncle.  He’ll understand.”  Chip pulled away and headed over to an old blue truck.

“Maddie,” Vida said, turning to her sister.

Maddie was hugging her before Vida could say anything else.  They clung to each other for a long moment, then Vida released her sister and stepped back.  “What do I do?”  Vida whispered.

Madison smiled and began rolling Vida’s sleeve back.  “You get to know him, care for him, and be strong for him.  You know you can do it, you’re stronger than anyone I know.  Now, go meet your soulmate’s uncle and have a good time.”

It was nearly a month later that Chip came up to Vida at school with a tired but excited smile.  “So,” Vida said, letting him take her hand, “how was your day?”

Chip ran his fingers over the words on Vida’s arm, “What if I told you I found him?”

“Him?”  Vida said, glancing down at her wrist.

“Yeah, his name is Xander,” Chip said.  “Apparently my ‘you’re bald’ complimented his ‘thank you Captain Obvious’.  Now I want you to meet him.”

“He has two?”  Vida asked.

“Yup,” Chip said, he tugged on Vida’s hand.  “Come on, let’s go.”

Xander proved to be a tall, dark haired kid with a too smooth smirk and an Australian accent.  “Xander, this is Vida,” Chip said as they approached.  “Vida, this is Xander.”  He looked between them expectantly.

Vida smiled at Xander, “I’d apologize for Chip, but I like him the way he is.”

Xander’s smirk bloomed into a full on grin, “The moment you doubt whether you can fly, you cease for ever to be able to do it.”

Vida tilted her head, “That’s a quote, isn’t it?  I always thought it was too poetic to be off the cuff.”

“J.M. Barre’s Peter Pan,” Xander said, “I was in the play last semester in Australia.  It’s nice to meet you.”

“Same here,” Vida said, offering her hand.

It was the start of a beautiful friendship.


	2. Perseverance

Danny was just getting off work when his growl phone went off.  “Hello?”  He said, still not fully used to actually using the phone as a phone.  Taylor rarely remembered she _had_ a phone, and Princess Shayla only used it when there was an emergency.  Alyssa used hers regularly to keep in touch, and Danny sometimes wondered if she’d had a phone before she became a Ranger.

“Hi Danny,” Alyssa said cheerfully, “are you off work yet?”

“Yes,” Danny said, “what’s wrong?”

“Well, I wouldn’t say wrong exactly,” Alyssa said, “I just need a favor.”

“How can I help?”  Danny asked.

“Taylor and I found a new Ranger,” Alyssa said.  “His name is Max, and he’s the Blue Ranger.  Max had to go get some clothes so he could move up to the Animarium with us, and he can’t rigger the transport.  Do you mind meeting up with him in Turtle Park and helping him out?  I’d do it, but I have a test in five minutes, and Taylor has that appointment of hers.”

Danny nodded slightly, “I’ll find him.  Who am I looking for?”

“He’s about my height, and young, he’s seventeen, and he already has his jacket, so you’ll recognize that.  I told him to look out for you too.”  Alyssa said, “Thank you Danny, I appreciate this.”

“It’s not a problem,” Danny said, “I’ll see you after class.  Good luck on your test.”

“Thanks again,” Alyssa said, “I’ll see you after class.”

Danny glanced over his shoulder, then headed down the road to Turtle Park.  The park was located around the ‘head’ of Turtle Lake, and hadn’t been built so much as designated and indifferently maintained by the city council.  It was easily the site of the most trees inside the city, as well as being home to a number of old Redwoods, making it the perfect place for a transition from Turtle Cove to the Animarium.

Danny liked the park, it was fun to wander through even when he wasn’t looking to go up, and he’d grown up on the far side, and the kid’s playground over there had been a refugee for years, long past the age when he’d played on the equipment.

Danny shook himself out of his memories and looked around for the young man in the blue Wild Force jacket.  It was easier than Danny had expected to find the kid in question.  He wore not only the blue jacket, but a bright orange shirt underneath and had an equally bright blue and orange backpack.

Max was sitting on a picnic table, idly tossing a baseball from hand to hand as he scanned the park.  Danny could tell when he’d spotted Danny, because Max straightened up and tucked the ball into his backpack.  When Danny got closer, Max gave him a brittle smile, “I feel like the lamest Power Ranger in existence.”

Danny smiled, back, unable to hold back the words that had his grandfather had whispered to him before he’d passed away, words which had kept him moving no matter what.  “Never give up.  You’re not as bad as you think you are.”

Max went very still, watching him with wide eyes, hands inching towards his sleeve.  Danny thought over what they’d said and swallowed.  He’d always wondered what his words meant.  He’d definitely never thought that the cursive words written on his arm, I feel like the lamest Power Ranger in existence, would mean something like this. 

“You’re Danny, right?”  Max asked as he pulled his sleeve up. There, in a strong, bold hand was his own words, Never give up.  You’re not as bad as you think you are.

“I am,” Danny said.  He offered his hand, wrist turned up to show Max the words, “I’m glad to finally meet you.”


	3. Inseparable

Gia shifted nervously in her seat as the door to the vice principal’s office opened and someone came in.  Unlike the last two times, this was not some middle aged secretary with judging eyes and a false smile, this was a beautiful girl with black hair that had been French braided and a tentative smile.

“Emma,” Mr. Nichols said, “come in, come in.  You’re just the young lady I needed to see.”

“Sir?”  Emma asked.

“Emma, this is Gia Moran, a new student.  I understand that it’s your turn to be the student guide.”

Emma glanced at Gia, then turned back to Mr. Nichols, “Are you sure that’s wise, sir?”

“I know you’ve had some trouble,” Mr. Nichols said, frowning, “but I thought it had stopped?”

Emma shrugged, “Just stupid people repeating things they don’t understand told to them by people who should know better.  I’ve kept Mr. Bradley informed.”

“All right,” Mr. Nichols said, “and yes, Emma, I’m sure I want you to show Ms. Moran around school.  As luck would have it, you have many shared classes this semester, which should make it easier on you both.”  He picked up a blue folder and offered it to Gia, “Here is your schedule, map, and all the rest of the paperwork they insist a new student _must_ receive.  Remember, we do recycle at this school, and the paper recycling bins are located at several points around the school.”

“Of course, Mr. Nichols,” Gia said as she took the folder, “thank you sir.”

Emma glanced at Gia again before heading back out of the office.  “You’ll have to excuse Emma,” Mr. Nichols said softly, “she’s had a difficult year.”

“I’ll remember that,” Gia said as she stood up and slung her backpack over her shoulder before hurrying to catch up to her guide.  Emma was waiting in the hallway, arms crossed and glaring at a small group of boys in letterman jackets.  Gia glanced at them curiously before turning back to Gia, trying to think of _something_ she could say.

“Hey, bike!  Got a new toy there?”  One of the boys shouted.

Emma huffed, put her hand around Gia’s elbow and tugged her down the hall.  Gia glanced at the snickering boys, who were now heading into one of the other offices.  “Did he just call you a bike?”  Gia asked finally, glancing at her companion.

Emma looked over her shoulder, “Honestly, I wouldn’t be at all surprised.”  Then she stopped short.  “Wait, what?”

“What?”  Gia asked.

“Did you just…”  Emma hesitated, then started yanking on her sleeve.

“Did I?”  Gia began, then realized _why_ Emma was pulling up the sleeve of her soft, pink cardigan.  She slid her backpack off, then her jacket, holding her arm out at the same time as Emma did the same.  Gia touched the words on Emma’s arm with her thumb, gently, awed at the sight of proof.

“Someone saw it,” Emma whispered.  “I guess they misread it or something.”  She ran a shaking hand down Gia’s arm.

Gia reached out to cup Emma’s face with gentle fingers, “You aren’t alone now, Emma.  If I have my way, you’ll never be alone again.”  She leaned over and gave her soul mate a gentle kiss.


	4. Illumination

At fourteen years old, Theo Martin was an excellent student, thank you very much. He trained hard, did his homework, and always tried to do everything his teachers asked of him.  At least, it went that way until Master Mao assigned him a new sparring partner.

Lily Chillman was thirteen and had only been with the Order for two months.

It was that Theo was against women in the Order, or even fighting with or against them. His object was that he’d been with the Order off and on since he was a six.  It was his one argument with the Order, that he was still a cub on a technicality, that certain techniques could only be taught at a certain age.

“Master,” Theo said as they walked to the remote sparring area that Mao favored.  “I don’t feel comfortable doing this.”

“Theo, I think if you give Lily a chance, you might be surprised,” Master Mao said with a stern look.

“Yes Master, sorry Master,” Theo said, bowing awkwardly as he walked.

Lily Chillman proved to be a bright and cheerful blond with a quirky smile and hazel eyes.  Theo had to admit to himself that she _was_ pretty, but she _looked_ young and sweet, and very much like she was still new to the Order.  It almost every way, she was opposite of every opponent he’d sparred with in the past six months, when Master Mao had started using him as a training partner to teach other Order members how to deal with someone smaller than they were, but of equal or even greater skill.

“Lily, this is Theo, a Jaguar cub.  Theo, meet Lily, a Cheetah cub,” Master Mao said.  “Lily, I want you to observe how Theo fights, as another cat your training will follow similar paths.  Theo, observe how Lily fights.”

Theo stepped into the sand circle, watching Lily carefully as he settled himself.  He could hear Mao speaking, but the words wouldn’t register over his own breathing and heartbeat.  He bowed to Lily, feeling unusually awkward and then moved into a defensive stance.  As Lily followed suit, he winced at her awkward arm positions.  Then he took a deep breath before blurting out, “I’m sorry if I hurt you.”

Lily scowled at him, “Dream on, _Spots.”_

Theo barely managed to block her kick, because he _knew those words._ They were written on his arm in a flowing script that was so incongruous to their message.  He wondered if he should call the spar, unsure of his focus knowing that this girl was his other half.

A sudden sharp pain in his arm snapped Theo from his thoughts and brought the match into sudden clarity.  He did need to end this spar, but Master Mao would know if he threw if.  Theo shifted his stance and went on the attack.

Unfortunately, even being on the offense didn’t help Theo. He might have held out longer, but Lily tricked him into an overextended punch.  He felt her grab his arm, and then he was curled up in the sand, whimpering as he held his groin with little understanding of how she’s managed it.  He knew he’d gone head over heels, and he thought he’d punched himself, but when Lily crouched over him and touched his shoulder gently, he couldn’t help blurting out, “Tell me how you did that.”

Lily smiled at him, “The Order runs one of the premier martial arts academies in the world.  That is fact.  It is also fact that you don’t have to be in the Order, or a ninja, to study the martial arts.  I learned from a very ordinary man in a very ordinary dojo back home in Stone Canyon.”

She started to straighten up and Theo began to fumble with the leather brace hiding his words, “Wait, Lily,” He said as it came free.  “Look.”

Lily caught his wrist and stared at the words _Dream on Spots_ , and then looked at him before pulling off the sweat band on her own wrist.

Gently, he ran his finger over the words I’m sorry if I hurt you.

Theo winced softly, “I am sorry,” he said.

“Forgiven,” Lily replied.  “Now let’s get you some ice or something.”

Theo tightened his fingers around her wrist, “Will you teach me that throw?”

“Sure,” Lily said with a brilliant smile that drew Theo into smiling back.


	5. Serendipity

Dustin couldn’t believe he was lost.  He was supposed to be in meditation by the Koi pond, and he must have gotten turned around somewhere, because he’d just found a maintenance shed.  After two months at the Wind Ninja Academy, you’d think he’d be better able to find his way through the maze of formal gardens and practice areas better than he was currently.  It didn’t help that Sensei Genim kept assuring him that he’d find his way soon enough, and that “an Earth ninja, in full control of his powers, is never lost.”  Not when he was looking for a pond of goldfish and found a shed full of fertilizer instead.

Dustin considered the path he’d been following for a moment, then decided to see if he couldn’t retrace his steps and figure out where he’d gone wrong _this_ time, or at least find someone who could direct him to where he needed to be.

He started jogging, worried about how Sensei Genim would take his tardiness after he’d been transferred from the sunrise class that most Earth ninjas took to the midmorning class mostly intended for overflow students or students with special circumstances.

Dustin skidded around a copse of trees and slammed into someone who must have been running from the other direction.  Dustin stumbled backwards, tripping and falling flat on his back with a yelp.  He took a moment to just breath and try to organize his thoughts before he sat back up to see who he’d crashed into.

The other boy was about his height, with straight, short black hair and dark skin.  He wore the red of an Air Ninja, and just behind him was a girl in Water blue.  Dustin, however, was more _aware_ of the Air Ninja than he was of the boy’s companion.  From the way the boy carefully met his eyes, Dustin thought he must have similar thoughts.

“Hey,” the Water Ninja said, “are you guys okay?”

Air Ninja barely glanced at her, “I’m fine Yvonne.”

“What about you?”  the Water Ninja, Yvonne, asked sharply.  Dustin glanced at her and shrugged a little before he started to climb to his feet.  “What does that mean?  Can you not talk or something?”

Dustin kept his irritation to himself save for a quick frown at the girl, even as he reached to offer the Air Ninja his hand.  The Air Ninja glanced at Yvonne, then at Dustin’s hand before he reached out and gripped it.  When he was standing, he gripped Dustin’s shoulder, “Hey, I need you to use your words, dude.”

There were no real words for what Dustin felt upon hearing those words.  It was as if each piece of the phrase had been somehow framed in vibrant red, and they echoed around him in a single moment of clarity.  Dustin didn’t think he’d ever experience something like that ever again.  He wasn’t even sure he wanted to.

Dustin swallowed before blurting out the first thing he could think of, “I don’t know what they are!”

Then he groaned, backing up a step, because surely it was impossible for him to have embarrassed himself any more than that particular gem.  It was worse than that time in the school play when he’d freaked out over forgetting his lines so badly that he’d gotten sick all over half the cast and two thirds of the scenery.  He could barely bring himself to look at the Air Ninja, only to be frozen at the look of amazed recognition on the boy’s face.

“I’m Shane,” the Air Ninja announced, offering his hand.

“Dustin,” Dustin said firmly, taking Shane’s hand.

“This is…” Shane trailed off.

“I know,” Dustin agreed.

He might have stood there for hours, mesmerized by Shane’s face, but the clock at the top of the Academy’s primary building began to chime the half hour, snapping Dustin into reality.  “Oh no, I am so late,” he breathed, backing away from Shane.

“Late for what?”  Shane asked.

“Meditation at the koi pond,” Dustin said, he rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand.  “I’m kind of lost.”

“I’ll show you the way,” Shane offered.

“Shane,” Yvonne snapped.

Shane glared at the girl, “You go ahead and tell Sensei Byrd that I’ll be there soon.  He’ll understand.”  He gave Dustin a shy smile, “Come on, Dustin, let’s go.”

Dustin squeezed Shane’s hand and let him guide the way, away from the maintenance shed.


	6. Unalterable

Rocky was convinced he had the most boring soul mate phrase in the history of time.  He had a name, an introduction.  It was about as interesting as a used “hello, my name is” sticker.  He wished he had something interesting, something real.  Like how Aisha’s phrase was ‘The lion is a man killer’ or PJ’s phrase was ‘Second star to the left and straight on to morning’.

Sure, Uncle Miguel told him he was lucky because he had a name to go looking for instead of just some random phrase, but Rocky thought it was boring enough to fall asleep looking at.

When he was six, Rocky decided that even if his soul mate turned out to be a boring nerd, that didn’t mean that he, Rocky DeSantos, couldn’t be wild, crazy, funny, and awesome enough for BOTH of them.  Of course, Rocky didn’t know all the words to put it that way, so he opted for funny, a word he did know, and set out to become a comedian.

Sadly, his first attempt left him with a black eye and a bloody nose from a poorly timed joke and prompted his parents to enroll him in martial arts classes.

The first class Rocky attended, he never really remembered much of afterwards.  His attention was completely taken up but the black haired boy who looked at him whenever he seemed to think he could get away with it.  They spent the first half of the class sneaking looks at each other between moving their bodies around in a series of karate moves.

It wasn’t until their first break that Rocky could march up to the smaller boy, hold his hand out and say quickly, “I’m DeSantos, Rocky DeSantos.”

Adam took his hand gingerly, “I’m Adam Park.”

So much for paying attention to the rest of class, Rocky was caught up in his own little world, and as a slow, happy smile spread across Adam’s face, Rocky realized that his soul mate wasn’t just cool, but he was totally cool enough for the both of them.

 


End file.
